Lauren Bergman

Ester Gordon, 2018

Oil on cradled panel

36 x 36 in.

Ella Milch-Sheriff

Ester Gordon

Musical composition

Ester Gordon, date unknown

Reproduction of a gelatin silver print

Yad Vashem

Ester was born in Riga, Latvia to Sara and Isaak Gordon. She had a younger brother named Avraham. The Nazis invaded Latvia in July 1941. On November 30 and December 8, thousands of Jews were taken to the Rumbula Forest on the outskirts of Riga. Children, couples, and families were forced to strip naked and enter pre-dug pits. On these two days, more than 25,000 Jews were murdered. Only three people survived. Ester was among those killed.